


alter a landscape

by girlmarauders



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Male Character, Coming Out, First Time, M/M, Meet-Cute, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-07 22:00:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21224891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlmarauders/pseuds/girlmarauders
Summary: Willy and Kappy meet at Zach's wedding.





	alter a landscape

**Author's Note:**

> "Even in its first faint traces, love could alter a landscape. It wrote unimagined stories and made the most beautiful, forbidding places." Wild Beauty - Anna Marie McLemore
> 
> Thanks so much to [ahhcherontia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahhcherontia/pseuds/ahhcherontia) for beta-reading. Thanks to [frecklebombfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/frecklebombfic/pseuds/frecklebombfic)and [growlery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/pseuds/growlery) for inspiring and chatficcing this with me, and growlery for the title inspiration.

Willy texted Zach as soon as they made the announcement.

"Congrats!! 👫👫🎉🎉 I'm in Toronto in two weeks, when should we do dinner?"

Zach had 8 million texts, and a thousand missed calls, and he needed to call his parents but he still took a second to dash off a reply to Willy, a "thanks! cant believe it! come over the 13th? fish!", because Willy always brought wine matched to the food, and nailing him down early was the only way to get to see him when he was in town. His schedule was busier than Zach's.

"Yes! Tell A I'm taking her shopping!" Willy texted back, and then a picture of himself, his hair down, glasses on, in a patterned shirt with no collar and a necklace that disappeared into the shadow of his shirt. He was making a thumbs up at the camera with his free hand, and grinning. It made Zach smile even more, because this was what getting married meant; he could tell the world he was in love, and everyone that mattered to him, all his friends, would reflect his happiness back at him.

Alannah appeared in the bedroom doorway, and a small part of Zach's brain pinged at him _that's your fiance_!

"I have so many messages," she said, holding her phone in one hand. She was just wearing the normal shirt she slept in, and her hair was in a ponytail, and she was going to be Zach's _wife_ and he was going to be her _husband_.

"Willy wants to take you shopping," he said, holding up his own phone, swallowing around the emotion. Alannah leaned against the doorframe, just looking at him sat on the bed.

"He texted me. He's coming for dinner?" she said, and Zach nodded, reaching out an arm for her.

"Yeah, I said the 13th. Come here," he said, and she put her phone face down on the dresser and came to the edge of the bed, looking down at him. She was so beautiful, more beautiful to him every day.

"I like him the best of all your exes," she said playfully. "If this doesn't work out, you should marry him instead."

Zach hummed, putting his arms around her legs.

"He's not Jewish, unfortunately," he said, and she smiled.

"No you're right," she said. "Willy's much too cool for you."

"Hey!" he said, and she was laughing at him, and he laughed with her. They fell onto the bed together, both laughing, and left their unanswered messages for another time.

&&&

Willy did come over for dinner two weeks later, with a bottle of white wine he'd personally brought from France. He brought Alannah a Hermès silk scarf and insisted she wear it all through dinner, even when she said "Willy! This is too nice! and expensive!"

"I didn't _buy_ it," Willy said. "I was working on scarves anyway, and I told Annalise, she's our silks woman, you wouldn't believe what she can do, anyway I told her I was visiting friends, and they'd just got engaged, and she said I couldn't possibly not bring something for the bride, and found this from an old shoot. I was sure you'd like it."

"I love it, William,” Alannah said, and Willy kissed her cheek.

"You'll be the most beautiful bride," he said, and from anyone else it would have been ridiculous gushing, but from Willy it was heartfelt and sweet.

"You never bought me any silk scarves," Zach said, putting wine glasses on the table. Willy flapped a hand at him, and came to sit down.

"We were broke students when we were going out. I did get you that watch last year though," he said, which was true. It was a Patek Phillipe and worth a whole year of Zach's ELC, and Willy had given it to him for his birthday, with a note that read _handsome men need a watch that matches_. Zach still wore it, although not every day, out of a fear he would lose or break it.

Alannah came to the table with the fish on a big tray and they served at the table, piles of fish and salad, and they had to break into a second bottle of wine, not nearly as nice as the one Willy had brought. They saw Willy regularly, but at long intervals. He'd been in Europe, doing fashion weeks and shoots for Condé Nast. Zach and Alannah both liked clothes, but they weren't Fashion People the way Willy was, and he paused to show them pictures on his phone, or go off on a tangent about a party or show he'd been to.

"Enough about me, I want to hear all about the proposal. Was it romantic? Where did he do it?" Willy said finally, propping his head on his hand and looking rapt. Zach deferred to Alannah for the story. She lit up describing it, and he felt warm. He'd done a good job. She'd liked it.

Willy made noise at the right times, and then made Alannah show him her dress references, and they talked about hair and dresses and wedding plans until it was late, and they were all tipsy and full. Alannah kissed each of Willy's cheeks to say goodbye, and Zach went with him into the hall to wait for the uber.

Willy hugged him tight, and then slapped his shoulder.

"I'm so happy for you," Willy said, and Zach rubbed his face against sudden tears. It felt like only months ago they had been kids in college, sneaking drinks into Willy's dormroom, getting drunk and making out. Dating him had been one of the most thrilling experiences of Zach's life, because Willy made everyone around him feel as glamorous and beautiful by association as he was naturally, but Willy's friendship was the lifelong gift that Zach wouldn't trade for anything.

"You'll get your invite soon," Zach said, his throat a little tight. "Plus one?"

Willy shook his head, his face a little rueful.

"Not yet," he said. "I'm excited. I'll see you there."

They hugged again, and then Willy got in the elevator, waving as the doors closed.

&&&

The game schedule, as always, took preference over anything else in Zach's life, which meant he had to fit in wedding planning whenever he could. On the west coast roadtrip, he spent most of the flight staring at the proposed seating plan Alannah had tucked into his bag. It was how Kappy found him in the flight out of Vancouver, tapping a pencil against his hand while he tried to arrange his and Alannah's families in a way that would make neither of their mothers feel slighted.

"Uh, Hyms?" he said, hovering in the aisle. "You got a minute?"

Zach looked up at him, confused for a second, but Kappy's face was serious, a slight frown folding his forehead.

"Yeah sure man," he said, and moved over to the window so Kappy could take the aisle seat. Zach usually got left on his own on the plane, since everyone knew he was either working or wedding planning, and Kappy tended to sit with Auston and Mitch, or play cards with Brownie and a rotating cast of the rest of the team. "What's up?" Zach said, when Kappy just stared at his clasped hands braced on his knees, not saying anything.

"So, okay, um, don't feel you have to keep this a secret or anything, because I am telling the guys, I just wanted to ask you first, 'cause you know, this is new to me," Kappy said, slowly, and not very loud, and leaving Zach still completely in the dark about what they were talking about.

"You know how me and Karina broke up before the summer?" Kappy said, eventually, after a pause. Zach nodded.

"Yeah?" he said. It'd been pretty spectacular. Karina had texted the WAGs group chat several very unflattering things about Kappy, and left it dramatically, and Brownie had walked in on her and Kappy having a screaming match in the parking garage outside the practice rink. It had been grist in the team's effective gossip mill for several months, until they'd moved onto more interesting things, like Auston's sister maybe dating one of the Yotes (had turned out to not be true), and various swirling speculation about whether they were gonna trade for a right-handed D-man.

"Uh," Kappy said, and then took a breath. "She was real mad because I wouldn't tell her why I wanted to break up, but uh, yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gay."

Well, that had not been where Zach had been expecting the conversation to go.

"Wow, man, good for you," Zach said. He put his pencil down. "That must have been tough."

Kappy made a face, as if the emotional implications of his realisation were beyond him.

"Uh, it was okay. The break up wasn't great, but I went home during the summer, and talked to some friends, and, uh, I'm okay now."

"That's great," Zach said, nodding, trying to look encouraging. Kappy looked at him like he could see through it.

"I'm gonna start telling the team. You're first," Kappy said. That brought Zach up short. He was sure he would have told someone like Auston, the leader of the team’s social life, or maybe Mo, who was a good listener and at the centre of most of the team’s cliques, before he got to Zach. Sure they played on the same line a lot now, especially since JT had joined them, but it was still surprising.

"Thank you for trusting me," Zach said seriously. The first person he'd told outside his family when he'd figured out it was more than just girls for him, had been his liney in juniors, and he was grateful all the time for the way Josh had slapped him on the shoulder and said "good for you man."

Kappy looked at his hands.

"Well, I knew you, uh, you'd gone out with guys, uh, before Alannah," he said.

"Yeah," Zach agreed, keeping his tone light. He'd never done a big official coming out, but he didn't hide it, and he'd talked about his exes before with definitive male pronouns. He'd figured everyone was either too polite to mention it, or too oblivious to realise what he meant. But turned out someone had been listening closer than he thought.

"I figured you'd get it," Kappy said.

"I get it man. You're doing great," Zach said.

Kappy smiled awkwardly.

"Thanks," he said, and then stood up. "I'm gonna go pass out now."

Zach reached up and clasped hands with him.

"For sure," he said. Kappy got a couple seats down the aisle when Zach thought of something. "Kappy, wait-" Kappy turned back to look at him. "Do you want a plus one for the wedding?" he asked.

Kappy's mouth twisted, and Zach got the implication, that taking a man to Zach's wedding would be a public declaration, a decision examined and interrogated by gossip, and maybe Kappy wasn't ready for that yet.

"Not yet," was all he said, and Zach nodded.

"Sure man," he said. Kappy went and sat down with Mitch and Auston, and Zach looked back at the seating plan. While he was moving names, he saw an empty space next to Willy and he thought for a second and then wrote "Kappy" in the space.

  
&&&

  
When Kappy got Zach and Alannah's wedding invite, he put the date in his calendar, and texted his tailor that he'd need a new suit. He sent the RSVP back with his menu choice, and told Zach at practice he was coming, just for good measure. The team was having a good time, making fun of Zach for the wedding, the starry-eyed look he got in his eyes when he talked about Alannah, his constant worrying about the food, his in-laws, the fucking tablecloths. Zach was easy to tease, and a good sport about it, laughing along with the chirps.

Kappy participated in the teasing as much as the rest of the team. Zach had been - not solicitous, but carefully and gently supportive ever since Kappy had told him he was coming out. There was still a part of him that found saying "gay" strange, even in his own head, but it had felt less confusingly stressful since he had started telling people. Maybe a different source of stress, worrying how people would react, but also sort of freeing. He'd told Mitch, and Mo, and one by one, the rest of the team, Freddie and Naz, and Brownie, even Patty, who he wasn't close with, and Auston, who'd been chill. Everyone had been good. He'd told a couple other Finns in the league, who he was sure had had their suspicions, but they all still texted, and sent each other memes. It was strange, and some of the team now looked at him nervously after jokes, but things were good.

He'd delayed going home for the summer to go to Zach's wedding, so most of his stuff was in a massive suitcase when he got ready that morning. His tailor had sent the suit over a few days beforehand, with a note on good ties to match, and Kappy spent most of his prep time trying to style his hair. He thought he looked good, though he was sure he'd get some shit. Fuck 'em, he was hot.

The wedding was beautiful. During the vows, everyone from the team was sat together, including a couple of guys who'd been traded since last year, or mostly played on the Marlies. Kappy got a little teary during the vows, listening to Zach - who he was most used to bitching someone out from the bench or shouting for the puck - describe how much he loved Alannah. When they kissed, their section all cheered, even the wives and girlfriends. They got split up for dinner, but they all milled about, getting drinks and catching up, taking pictures of the centerpieces, and talking about how good Zach and Alannah had looked.

Everyone had brought their wives and girlfriends, all perfectly blonde and coiffed, beautiful and foreign to Kappy's wants or desires. He'd spent his relationship with Karina afraid he was doing it wrong, angry at himself and her for the lost happy ending they couldn't make work. He'd been a distant, unkind boyfriend, and he had a lot of regrets about it. For a bitter moment, he couldn't help thinking that the wedding and everyone with their significant others was just another reminder that, no matter how much he tried, he'd always be different in all the ways that mattered.

He looked down at his class of champagne and watched a few of the bubbles burst, feeling momentarily lost.

Someone tapped a glass loudly, and it startled Kappy out of standing there like an idiot. It was Zach and Alannah's MC, asking everyone to take a seat for dinner, and Kappy found his table. It wasn't quite the singles table, but he didn't recognise the name on the placecard next to him. Willy? That was a hockey nickname if Kappy knew anything, but he was sure he'd already met all the hockey people.

A guy dropped into the seat, and instantly angled towards Kappy, turning an 1000-Watt smile on him.

"Hi, I'm Willy, you must be Kappy. Zach said he'd found me a seatmate," he said, and stuck out his hand, at a funny angle since they were both sitting. Kappy shook his hand. He couldn't be a hockey player. He was ridiculously good-looking, with his roguish baby face, and long blond hair, and his leather cross-body bag didn't have a label anywhere Kappy could see one.

"That's me," Kappy said, shaking and then letting Willy's hand drop. His hand was soft, and his nails were definitely manicured. "How do you know Zach?"

"We went to college together," Willy said, reaching into the table to pick up a bottle of wine. "White or red?"

"White, thanks," Kappy said, and Willy smiled and poured a generous amount into Kappy's glass.

"You're on Zach's team, right?" Willy said, as if they were already deep in conversation. Across the table, their tablemates were having their starters placed in front of them. "I know you’ve got to have some good embarrassing stories about him, I played hockey," he said.

"Really?" Kappy said, glad there was some common conversational ground. Zach hadn't saddled him with someone he had nothing to talk about with. "Willy sounds like a hockey name."

Willy wrinkled his nose, and it was disarmingly cute in his classically beautiful face. He looked like a fucking model.

"I played as a kid. I work in fashion now," he said.

“Oh, cool,” Kappy said. This guy was definitely cooler than him. Both of them had to pause for a second as their starters were placed in front of them, and then Kappy watched Willy snap open the cloth napkin and place it over his lap. Willy caught his eye and winked.

“This suit was expensive,” he said, and it made Kappy smile. Willy looked him up and down obviously. “So was yours, I think. Who’re you wearing?”

Kappy looked down at his suit.

“Uh, I don’t know?” he said, and Willy’s look boarded on charitable. “I just get my tailor to make me something.”

Willy raised his eyebrows.

“Your tailor made it for you from scratch? Not alterations?”

Kappy paused.

“Uh yeah? I think so,” he said.

“Hmm,” Willy said. “Well, it looks good. You should give him a raise.”

“I already pay him a lot,” Kappy said, grinning, and then felt a quick thrill when Willy smiled back.

“You can never pay the person who makes your clothes too much,” he said.

“Is that self-interest talking? Are you trying to get a raise from someone?” Kappy asked, and that made Willy chuckle.

“Oh, I don’t make clothes, I just work with people who do,” he said. “I’m definitely not creative enough to design either.”

"Hey, don't talk yourself down," Kappy said playfully, and jostled Willy's side with his elbow. Willy caught it with one hand, his grip tight for a second before he released, and Kappy felt it like an electric shock, a tiny shiver that went up his arm and down his spine. He took a big sip of his wine, trying to recover his equilibrium. Were they flirting? Was this what it felt like? Or was this wishful thinking, hoping Willy was gay?

"Good reflexes, man," he said, a bit inanely, when Willy released his elbow.

“I thought I’d say that about you,” Willy said, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. “Fastest sport in the world, right?”

Kappy felt his chest puff up a bit.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m one of the fastest in the league.”

Willy’s expression was playfully unamused.

“Oh really?” he said. “Says who? Is it just you putting “I’m the fastest!” stickers on your gear?”

“No!” Kappy said, offended on his behalf, and then had to shush himself when the rest of their table looked at him. “I am really fast!” he paused, realising how childish he sounded. Willy was clearly holding back from laughing at him.

"Oh yeah?" Willy said. "Did you do the lap at the all star game or something?"

"Well, no," Kappy had to admit, blushing a little. "I didn't get invited. How do you know about the all star game anyway?"

“I played hockey!” Willy said, and then shrugged. “My brother’s a Blackhawks prospect.”

“Really?” Kappy asked, surprised. Willy was pretty, deliberately so, like someone who tried at it, and there was something about him that felt pointedly separate from the hockey people Kappy was used to. Willy’s smile was a little lopsided.

"Yeah, my dad was in the NHL," he said. He shrugged. “Hockey family. We all played.”

Kappy didn’t really know how to react.

“Why’d you stop?” he asked.

Willy paused, and took a drink of his wine. Kappy got the sudden impression he’d asked a more serious question than he intended.

"Well, I'm gay," Willy said, matter-of-factly, not looking at him. "and I didn't love it enough to live in the closet for however many years."

Kappy paused, feeling pinned to his seat, and then, just to do something, picked up his wine glass and looked into it, like maybe answers were hidden there. When he glanced up, Willy was looking at him, his face carefully and frustratingly blank.

"Uh," Kappy said. "Me too. About being gay, not quitting."

His stomach felt tight and uncomfortable, unpleasantly like fear or nerves. God, why did saying it never seem to get easier?

Willy's face moved through surprise quickly, and then just looked at him, his expression assessing.

"Zach didn't say," he said, as if he was talking about Zach not having mentioned something inane, like Kappy was from Finland, or didn't like walnuts. Kappy looked into his wine again, and then thought _fuck it_ and took a big gulp.

"I've only just started telling people," Kappy said, after he swallowed. Willy's smile got broader, and he picked up his wine.

"Congratulations," he said, and raised his glass a little so Kappy could tap his against it in a little toast. "This is the hard part, it gets more fun I promise." he said.

"More fun?" Kappy said, and Willy arched one eyebrow so dramatically Kappy nearly laughed.

"Fucking guys gets easier after you come out," he said seriously, and then broke and giggled, his nose scrunching. Kappy laughed, and it surprised him how quickly some of the tension released. He felt like he could breathe again. It was fine.

“Is that from experience?” he asked, smiling, and Willy snorted.

“I came out when I was a teenager,” he said. “But I’ve had some friends come out like you. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.”

Kappy looked down.

“Thanks,” he said, a little quietly. “That’s good to know.”

Around them, the starters that they had only picked at were being changed out for the main course. How had that much time gone by already? Kappy put his glass down to pick up his fork, and Willy did that same. Kappy couldn’t help it, he kept glancing over at Willy. He was so good-looking. Kappy usually tried not to look at men. He was always aware that it was a potential trap, that someone would notice.

But who cared who noticed now? He was at Zach’s wedding, and all his friends knew, and Willy had said he was gay - it was safe. Willy took a bite of his food, pushed his hair out of his face with his free hand, and then, in a second that felt like an electric shock across Kappy’s skin, looked up and made eye contact.

“Hey,” he said.

"Hey," Kappy said back, and then Willy jostled his elbow.

"Eat before it gets cold," he said. "Zach spent forever choosing the menu."

Kappy wrinkled his face.

"I know. He couldn't shut up about planning the wedding for months," he said, but he started cutting up his plate, and took a bite. Okay, yeah, it was really good.

Willy shrugged.

"That's Zach. He cares a lot," he said. His face was fond.

"You want to college with him?" Kappy said, between bites, leaving an opening for Willy to talk. He nodded.

"Yeah, uh," Willy's face looked a little heated, not quite a blush, but a little flushed, but maybe from the memories and the wine, the warm dinner room. "We dated for a little while," he said.

"Really?" Kappy said, surprised. Willy raised his eyebrows.

"You're surprised? You knew he's bisexual right?" Willy said.

Kappy flapped a hand.

"No, I knew that. I didn't realise he dated anyone, well," Kappy stopped when he realised what he meant.

"Anyone what?" Willy said. Kappy blushed.

"Well, anyone as hot as you," Kappy said, and then put his fork down to put his face in his hands. What the fuck, Kapanen? He heard Willy's laugh, and when Kappy looked up he was smiling, and a little flushed, looking pleased.

"That was smooth," Willy said, and the eye contact felt warm, electric, a clear message that Kappy couldn't miss.

"Uh, thanks," he said, scrambling for a response. "You're way out of Hymie's league."

Willy laughed again, and had to push his hair out of his face, off his forehead. He had a collection of bracelets around one wrist, and Kappy caught a glimpse of them as he moved, his shirt sleeve pulling back slightly.

Kappy kept trying to focus on his food, he really did, but he and Willy talked the whole way through, powering their way through the wine until the bottle between them was empty, and the plates were being cleared. He couldn’t look away from Willy, and every time he made him laugh he felt deeply satisfied, successful, clever.

The main courses finished and in the pause before dessert, Willy picked up his empty wine glass.

"Looks like I need another drink," he said with a smile, and then as he was standing up. "Let me buy you a drink?"

Usually Kappy would have asked for a beer, or a whiskey to seem older and cultured, but he felt a bit at sea now, not sure of what would send the right signal. Willys hair fell over his ears as he looked down at Kappy, and his face looked so soft, his eyes bright. He had some light-coloured stubble around his mouth and jaw, and Kappy wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

"Uh," he said. "I'll have what you're having."

Willy's eyebrows went up.

"Yeah?" He asked, and Kappy nodded and sat back in his chair, trying to find some of his old swagger. He smirked at Willy.

"Yeah," he said. "Surprise me."

The desserts were served while Willy was at the bar, and Kappy played with his spoon, not sure what he should be doing next. The other people at their table were chatting, and across the room, he could see a couple guys from the team and their girlfriends. But then his gaze shifted to Willy walking between the wedding tables, two drinks in his hands. The buttons of his suit were undone, and he looked really good, strong and slim, the suit cut really flattering, and yeah, Kappy liked him. He licked his lips. This was a new feeling.

"What did you get me?" Kappy asked, when Willy out his drink in front of him. Willy sipped his drink, and Kappy watched his mouth.

“Gin and tonic,” Willy said, smirking a little, like he knew the effect he was having, and Kappy had to drink it, feeling the bubbles on his tongue, knowing Willy knew, and was doing it on purpose.

He only picked at his dessert, not hungry at all, and drank his drink way too fast, already feeling it starting to go to his head. He felt hyper-aware of his body, of the way that Willy would touch his shoulder or his elbow as they talked, of the way he angled his whole body towards Kappy.

Eventually, all the desserts got cleared away, and Willy brought them more drinks, and the lights got dark for the first dance. They were sat near the dance floor, and Willy turned in his chair to get a better view.

“Oh, I want to see this,” he said, and Kappy watched his face in profile, the softness of his cheeks and the hair tucked behind his ears. The soft music started up and got louder and louder, and then when Kappy looked out, he could see Zach and Alannah, swaying together, lit by the dancefloor lights. They didn’t look any different than the people Kappy knew as his friends, Zach’s kinda stupid-looking nose, Alannah’s curled blonde hair, but they seemed somehow transformed, the way they were looking at each other, the stillness of just them on the dance floor. They looked like they were in love.

The song finished, and everyone clapped, and some people, especially their teammates, cheered, and Zach kissed Alannah, to more cheering. Her dad stepped in for a dance, and Zach stepped away, more couples trickling onto the dancefloor. Zach kept getting waylaid by people wanting to shake his hand, but eventually he made it to their table.

“Hey guys,” he said. He was flushed red and he couldn’t stop smiling, and Kappy didn’t even want to chirp him about it. "Having a good night?"

Willy laughed and pulled him into a hug. Zach kissed his cheek.

"It's great, Zach," Willy said. "Congratulations."

There were more couples on the dancefloor now, and Zach looked over his shoulder, still glowing.

"I should go ask Alannah's mom to dance. But you owe me a dance Willy," Zach said, and Willy's face was soft and fond. Kappy didn't feel jealous precisely, but he was seeing, directly, that Zach and Willy had a history he wasn't a part of.

Willy released Zach's arm, and let him stand all the way. He put an arm on the back on Kappy’s chair. It was such a deliberate, possessive movement that Kappy felt it like a zing in his stomach.

"It's alright," Willy said. "Kappy and I’ll look after each other.”

Zach’s eyebrows went up, and Kappy was dreading what he would say, the joke at someone’s expense, but he just grinned.

“Alright, have fun!” he said, and then turned back into the crowd of dancers, getting stopped every few moments to hug someone or shake their hand. Willy shook his head.

“What a lucky son of a bitch,” he said, and then he grabbed Kappy’s shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get a drink.”

The bar was empty, everyone out on the dance floor, and Willy put an elbow on the bar and ordered for them both, rattling off a couple of drink names. His body angled outwards towards Kappy, and Kappy felt brave with the potential meaning of it. Willy was sending all the signals, and Kappy wanted to punch the air, or tell someone “look I’m getting it right, it’s happening to me”. He took a step closer, so their chests were only inches apart, and he could feel how warm Willy was, even smell him, his aftershave and skin.

Their drinks came, and Willy held up two shots, fair colour in the clear liquid, and Kappy took one, their fingers touching, the drink leaving a sticky residue.

"What is it?" Kappy asked, and the music was louder now, they had to lean close to be able to hear each other.

"Vodka," Willy said. "It's flavoured, you'll like it."

He raised his glass, and Kappy didn't want to fall behind, he didn't want Willy to think he wasn't 100% along for the ride. Before they drank, Willy's eyes met his over their hands, and then Kappy kicked it all back, in one long swallow. It burned at the back of his throat, but the taste was clean and botanical, surprising.

"Good right?" Willy said, when he looked up. There was a drop of liquid on his lower lip, suspended there until he licked his lips quickly. Kappy nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Thanks."

He wasn't sure he meant thanks for the drink, or for it all, for flirting with him, for making him feel noticed and special. He quickly took a swallow of one of the gin and tonics Willy had ordered, trying to collect himself. He was a little drunk, and there was a part of him that welcomed it, the feeling of his inhibitions falling away.

Willy looked at him, smiling slyly.

“Come dance with me,” he said, and he reached out to hold Kappy’s wrist in a gentle grip. “I wanna dance.”

Kappy looked out on the dance floor. Zach was dancing with Alannah again, and he could see Naz and Ashley dancing together, other people on the team, more couples.

“You sure?” he said. He felt like he should ask, but he couldn’t say why, some unformed thought that he should check. Willy tugged at his wrist gently.

“Yeah, I’m sure, c’mon,” Willy said. “It’ll be fun. Dance with me.”

Willy pouted a little, and it made Kappy smile.

“Sure, okay, okay,” Kappy said, but Willy was already pulling him away from the bar and into open space on the dance floor. It was full, and there was only a little space, the two of them pushed up close together. Kappy could dance in a club, and even hot in his suit and a little drunk he could pull out the moves, Willy’s arms bumping into his. Willy’s fanny pack was spun over his back, and his long hair was falling over his ears, moving as he danced. His eyes kept catching Kappy's gaze, and then pulling away, and it made Kappy super aware of all his limbs, where his body was, what his face was doing. It was exhilarating.

Willy stepped closer, and Kappy took the open cue and put his hand on Willy's hip, inside his suit jacket. Willy grinned at him, and tossed his hair, and they were so close, both of them warm, and Kappy felt like they were alone, just the two of them in a bubble of privacy, Willy’s attention on him the only thing he cared about.

Kappy could have spent all night like that, but eventually it got too hot, and Willy took them to the bar to get more drinks. Then they all congregated to lift Zach and Alannah onto chairs and dance in uncoordinated circles. He got separated from Willy in the dance, pressed between Naz and Connor singing poorly, Zach above them holding his chair and laughing. It felt like one of those rare, perfectly captured moments, when you felt only joy from those around you, as part of a wave of sensation. It felt like winning did.

Afterwards, he found Willy in the back of the ballroom, leaning against a pillar, his suit jacket still on but the buttons of his waistcoat undone, more disheveled now the night was nearly over.

"Hey," Willy said, as Kappy came over, his smile lighting up his whole face. "Thought I'd lost you."

Kappy shook his head.

"No, you've got me," he said, licking his lips. He wanted to ride this to whatever the conclusion was. He was curious, burning up with it. He wanted to know what Willy would do, how far it would go. It felt a little like daring someone to do something stupid or dangerous: thrilling, captivating, nerve-wracking.

Everyone was still dancing, but most of the older guests had gone to bed for the night, and it was clearly more raucous. One of Zach's cousins was kissing one of Alannah's friends behind a pillar. The music was louder, Kappy could hear drunk voices singing along with it.

“Wanna dance some more?” Willy said, and Kappy knew that wasn’t what he wanted. He was ready to see where this was going.

“No, I want-” he said, and stepped close enough to Willy that they were only inches apart. He didn’t have the words to say it out loud. What did he want? It was nameless, even in his fantasies.

He watched Willy's mouth, the softness of his lips, the fine blonde hair on his jawline, and Willy smiled gently.

"Okay," he said, so quietly Kappy barely heard him, and then he put his hand at Kappy's collarbone, the pads of his fingers in Kappy's neck, and then they were kissing, like going underwater. Willy's lips were soft, gentle against his, and then his teeth caught on Kappy's bottom lip, just for a second. It was surprising, shockingly so, the way Kappy felt it throughout his entire body. His lips parted to take a breath, and he felt the soft pressure of Willy's tongue against his, just for a split second.

Willy's hand tightened on his neck, and it was a sign, permission for Kappy to do what he wanted, which was step forward and push Willy against the pillar. Willy made a noise in the kiss, just short of a groan, and Kappy wanted to listen to that noise again, forever, over and over. He bit Willy’s lip, and then gathered all his courage, licked into his mouth, the taste of him. Willy’s other hand held his waist, and Kappy was clinging to his shoulders like a drowning man.

The kiss seemed to ebb and flow, like water, like waves breaking over Kappy’s head with great force, until he wasn’t sure how long they’d been kissing, whether they had ever even broken for breath. As they pulled apart, finally, it all came rushing back, that they were in a crowded place, Zach’s wedding, full of his teammates and friends, and his heat was jack-rabbiting in his chest.

“Woah,” Willy said, his hand still gentle on Kappy’s shoulder, pulling him closer so Kappy was leaning on his chest, his face up against Willy's neck. “You’re fine, no one’s looking.”

Kappy tried to catch his breath.

“Sorry,” he said, when he’d come down a bit. He felt silly. He blinked, looking at the golden-pale skin of Willy's neck.

Willy released him, gently, and smiled at him when he pulled back.

"It's okay," he said, but his smile seemed small for a second. Kappy hated it. It was fine, he was ready to kiss whoever he wanted, he wanted it to be fine.

“No, don’t stop,” Kappy said, and pushed into another kiss, quick and messy, licking right into Willy’s mouth, their tongues sliding against each other. Willy made a surprised noise, and relaxed into the kiss, Kappy’s hands at his waist. Kappy felt so brave.

He put his hand under Willy’s suit jacket, over his waistcoat, and then, riding the wave of adrenalin, tangled his fingers in the buttons, not quite undoing them.

Willy stopped his hands, just gently, and kissed him quickly, before pulling back. It was dark, but he could see Willy's big eyes, bright and full.

“Do you want to come upstairs?” Willy said, still holding Kappy’s wrist. Kappy swallowed, and then nodded.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. He wanted to kiss Willy again. His imagination was running wild, with what they might do in the privacy of a hotel room. “Yeah.”

Stealing out of the ballroom felt like sneaking around as a teenager. They both laughed at each other in the hotel lobby, their drunk faces, and Willy stumbling on the steps out of the ballroom, but then the elevator door opened and Willy hit the number for his floor. The doors weren’t fully closed before Kappy put his hands on Willy’s body and pushed him up against the side, kissing him again, desperate to know he could do it again and again. Nothing was stopping him.

Willy groaned into the kiss, and pulled Kappy closer, so their legs were tangled. He felt like Willy’s hands were everywhere, running up his back and tugging lightly at his hair, gripping his shoulders, tugging at his belt loops. It ran up his spine in a long, electric shiver, all the way up to his scalp.

The sound of the elevator door opening interrupted them, making both of them giggle, and then Kappy was laughing at Willy’s scrunched up face, the wrinkle of his nose cutting through the smooth skin of his face.

“Stop laughing at me,” Willy said, his own voice lit through with humour. “C’mon.”

Willy’s hotel room was down the hall, and they tripped into each other when Willy stopped to unlock the door. Kappy felt a little drunk, but mostly exhilarated, nervous, desperate to keep his momentum. He didn’t want to choke. He couldn’t let himself chicken out.

As soon as the door opened he reached out for Willy, and he didn’t disappoint, kissing him and walking backwards, pulling Kappy along with him, until they were in the room. Kappy was used to being the one in charge, but it was Willy that maneuvered them so Willy’s calves hit up against the bed. Willy’s teeth caught Kappy’s bottom lip, and then he leaned back, his hands on Kappy’s shoulders.

“Hey,” he said gently. “I’m gonna take this suit jacket off, it’s Italian. And you can maybe think about what you want? I’m not gonna make you do anything you don’t want, and you can tell me to stop whenever, but it’ll help to have an idea of what you’re up for.”

It was so gentle and careful, Kappy didn’t know what to say. He was grateful when Willy turned away to take his suit jacket off, and hang it carefully in the hotel closet. It gave him a moment to breathe, and think. He took off his suit jacket and held it in his hands, not knowing where to put it, and then sat on the bed, because it felt strange to stay standing. It seemed like a good idea so he toed off his shoes, and then watched Willy from behind. He had sweat a little in his shirt, from dancing, and Kappy watched his arms move, the visible muscles in his shoulders.

"Hi," Willy said, smiling at him, and it raised a smile on Kappy's face involuntarily. "You okay?"

“Yeah,” Kappy said. Willy bent to kiss him quickly, one hand holding the side of his face. “I think I figured out what I want.” Kappy said, when they paused, reaching for the buttons of Willy’s shirt. “You should get naked, and kiss me, and we’ll take it from there.”

It felt bold, but the truth was he couldn’t put a name to whatever else he wanted. Was it cowardly to want Willy to take charge, and dictate the next steps? He was just nervous.

Willy smiled at him again, and then stood to tackle his shirt buttons himself.

“That’s a great plan,” he said. Kappy couldn’t look away from his hands, his fingers, with perfectly shaped nails, undoing each button one by one, the blonde chest hair it was revealing, and the shape of his pecs, the muscles of his stomach. This was a naked man in a whole new context, one that Kappy desperately wanted, and it was sexy and amazing, and mesmerising.

Willy nudged him shin with his foot.

“You wanna take your shirt off?” he asked. His shirt was fully open, and Kappy was looking up the long line of his body, his mouth dry.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kappy said, rushing the buttons, his fingers slipping. Willy helped a little, pushing at his shoulders until his shirt came off, and then they were both topless. It was a lot, to feel looked at by someone else with intent, and Kappy wanted to be doing something, taking action. He ran his hand up the back of Willy’s thighs, satisfyingly firm, and over his ass, and then pulled at his hips until he was close enough to put his mouth on Willy’s skin.

He heard Willy inhale, and then he kissed his stomach again, running his hands over Willy’s side, the tops of his legs, and then over his dick, through his pants. Willy made an encouraging noise, so he did it again, his face still pressed to his stomach, rubbing over his hardening dick, feeling out the shape of it.

He was already half-hard, turned on by looking at Willy and the smell of him and his hand on his dick, but he wanted Willy to get off first. If Willy got off, if Kappy crossed that barrier of making another man come, it would make everything else easier, and Willy made it all feel easier.

“Fuck,” Willy said, “Fuck, let me get these off, I’m going to fall over.”

He took a step to the side, and then stumbled to sit next to Kappy, fumbling with the fly on his trousers. He was smiling, and Kappy kissed him, twisting to touch their mouths together, feel Willy’s tongue against his.

“Can I blow you?” he asked, and Willy groaned dramatically, throwing himself back on the bed.

“Yes, oh man, definitely,” Willy said, and reached out his arms for Kappy. “Are you kidding me, come here.”

Willy pulled at his arm as soon as he was in reach and Kappy lost his balance, so he fell onto him hard, and they both laughed, shirtless and Willy’s pants undone, wrapped around each other, scrambling to climb up the bed. Willy rolled free for a second and kicked off his suit trousers, pushing them off the side of the bed.

“You too, c’mon,” Willy said, and they both peeled Kappy’s pants off, inefficiently pushing and pulling until Kappy could flail his leg and get them off. When he rolled back, Willy was leaning against the headboard, one hand lying on his thigh. His boxer-briefs were tight, and Kappy could see the clean line of his hard-on.

“You wanna suck me off?” Willy asked, tucking his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers like he was about to pull them off. Kappy nodded. It was now or never, he guessed. In a second of nervousness, he glanced up at Willy. His face was open, his mouth a little bruised from kissing, and Kappy had done that, he’d kissed him, he’d got him undressed and made him look so turned-on, expectant. That was all he needed.

He pulled Willy’s boxers down. He was maybe a little too enthusiastic. Willy’s dick caught in the waistband, and then flopped back against his stomach. It looked so good. Kappy wanted to put his mouth everywhere, too many places at once. He wanted to bury his face in Willy’s blonde pubic hair, and at the join of his thigh to his body, he wanted to suck on his balls and lick his dick. When he finally bent and mouthed at the head, he heard Willy inhale sharply, and felt him put a gentle hand on his shoulder, enough for Kappy to feel encouraged. He sucked, and listened to Willy breathe, using his tongue when he could, and keeping his hand around the base of his dick. It was too much to focus on at once to think about being nervous, or whether he was doing it wrong, and it felt overwhelming in a good way, a physical act to do over and over again until he did it perfectly.

His saliva felt thick in his mouth, and his lips felt stretched and rubbed to bruising, but it felt so good, the taste of Willy’s skin and pre-come, the way it was unstoppably sexual, the way he felt like he was in charge, even as Willy’s hips moved his dick into Kappy’s mouth in short movements. He sucked, and bobbed his head, meeting his own fist and sucking Willy’s dick in long, wet pulls.

“Fuck,” Willy said, and pushed at Kappy's shoulder, the most insistent he'd been the whole time. Kappy gave him one last long suck and pulled away, Willy replacing Kappy's mouth with his hand, stroking himself quickly and tightly. Kappy tried to keep time with his own hand, both of them bumping into each other, but it was only a couple strokes before Willy grunted deep in his chest and came, come dripping down his hand and onto his stomach.

He was breathing hard, and Kappy watched him for a second, come in his hand, on the blonde strands of his pubes, the defined muscles of his chest rising and falling. He wanted to take it all in, imprint it into his memory, here was something he'd done, a part of himself he had found buried deep and he had unearthed it and turned it back on the world and - it had come true. He was gay. He hadn't imagined it. It was as real as the blowjob he'd just given, the orgasm he'd made happen, the naked man smiling at him. Fuck.

He had to put his head down on Willy's thigh to breathe for a second, and he felt like an idiot, a stupid child trying something for the first time, but Willy didn't say anything, just brushed Kappy's hair with his clean hand until his breathing evened out.

"I wanna make you come like that," Willy said eventually, his voice warm. "Fuck that was really good."

The warmth of the praise washed over Kappy sweetly, and he felt himself blush.

“Really?” he said, looking up at Willy.

“Yeah,” Willy said, and tugged Kappy up the bed, so they could kiss wetly, Willy pushing Kappy onto his back. They didn’t stop kissing even as Willy got Kappy’s underwear off, and stroked his hand along his dick, just a gentle open-handed pressure. “Let me suck you off? Willy asked, kissing his neck, his collarbone, open-mouthed kisses that left momentary coldness, and then a pleasurable shiver.

“Uh,” Kappy said. He wasn’t sure. This felt like a rare chance to experiment, a freedom he hadn’t expected at all. A blowjob felt - too safe, too predictable. He didn’t want to say it aloud.

“No?” Willy said, pulling back to look at his face, one hand stroking his side comfortingly. “We can do something different.”

“No, no, I’m not saying no,” Kappy said, making a face. “It’s just, I thought we’d-” He trailed off. “Do more, I guess,” he said, finally, not looking at Willy’s face.

There was a pause, and Kappy looked at Willy’s face. He looked thoughtful.

“Sorry,” Kappy said, automatically, but Willy waved a hand.

“No, no, it’s okay. I get it,” he said. “You wanna try stuff.”

He moved to brace himself over Kappy, his smile a little sly, flirty, even though they were both naked.

“How do you feel about trying fingering and a blowjob? You can try something new, and if you don’t like it, I can just suck your dick,” he said. He was smiling, and his tone was light, calm, a little keen. It made Kappy feel like he was suggesting something that Willy wanted, not just a favour for him, the newbie. He nodded, his stomach swooping. The idea of it was hot, Willy’s mouth on his dick and his fingers inside him, the idea of having both.

“Yeah,” he said. “I wanna do that.”

He’d hoped that would kick off something happening, but instead Willy kissed him for a long time, his hip and thigh a maddening pressure against his hard-on. They kissed until Kappy was squirming underneath Willy, feeling desperate and hot and like he wanted to get on his knees and beg Willy to put his fingers in him.

"Hold on, hold on just a second," Willy sounded breathless too. He crawled off to the edge of the bed to root around in a small bag on his bedside table, and then returned with a small tube of lube. "Have you tried this before? On your own?" He asked. Kappy shook his head. He wanted to touch his dick, he wanted Willy to touch him.

"Okay," Willy said, "Well, if you don't like it, just say." He paused, and then grinned, putting lube on his fingers. "But I think you'll like it, it feels great."

Kappy was going to agree to anything if Willy would touch his dick, and was about to say so when Willy shouldered under one of his legs and swallowed around his dick.

He had about ten seconds to adjust to the wet, warm, sucking pleasure of Willy's mouth, and then he felt Willy's fingers against his asshole, rubbing in time with the sucking rhythm of his mouth.

"Oh fuck," he groaned, louder than he should be but he couldn't hold it back, it felt so good. He felt pinned between the dual sensations, Willy's mouth and his fingers. Willy pulled off to suck gently at his cockhead, and then looked up at him.

"Take a deep breath," he said gently, his fingers still. Kappy nodded quickly, wanting to follow his instructions, wanting to be good, and then the words filtered in. His first breath was shaky, still too overwhelmed, and then he tried again, breathing in deeply. On the second breath, with no other warning, Willy pushed with the two fingers, sliding into him.

Holy fucking shit, Willy hadn't been lying. It felt great. It didn't feel bad, or even weird, just pressure and an easy slide. He felt held open on Willy's fingers, at his mercy.

Then Willy's fingers moved, and he licked gently at the end of his cock, sucking lightly. It was so intense, sensation from every angle. Willy swallowed around his dick, saliva dripping down his cock, and he couldn't even separate the feeling from his fingers inside him, the pressure and suction and slide all become one glorious feeling. He could feel it building, like a pressure behind his eyes and in the base of his spine, so good he could barely contain it, until he couldn't anymore, and his whole body, every muscle, clenched up and he came, shaking and groaning.

"Holy shit," he said, in the afterglow, and then twitched when Willy slowly, carefully, pulled his fingers out.

"Good?" Willy said, grinning at him, and Kappy nodded.

"Great," he said. It was, he felt amazing, even sweaty and sticky.

Willy crawled up, keeping his sticky hand away, and kissed him again. He tasted different, and it took Kappy a second to realise he was tasting his own come in Willy's mouth, sending an electric thrill through him. They kept kissing until Kappy felt cold, naked over the sheets, a little sticky in uncomfortable places. He didn't want to stop kissing, every touch of their mouths felt addictive, sinking into the rhythm of the push, pull, the sweet-bitter taste of Willy's mouth.

When he shivered, Willy kissed him and pulled him out of bed, into the hotel room’s big bathroom, and ran the shower until the room was hot and steamy. Kappy had never thought of showers as particularly sexy, but Willy kissed him under the water, touching him all over with wet hands. They didn't fuck again, just kissed and Kappy watched Willy wash his hair, standing to the side of the huge shower, half-hard and not wanting to do anything about it.

Out of the shower, Kappy had a moment of sudden anxiety, dry and in his boxers. Should he get dressed and go back to his empty hotel room? Were they done?

Willy didn't seem to notice his pause. He turned on the TV, and tossed Kappy the remote.

"Put some sports on eh?" He said, still naked, and went into the bathroom, emerging a few minutes later with handfuls of unrecognisable bottles. Kappy found some soccer, being played on a random channel live from Europe in the middle of the night, and when he turned back around, Willy was sitting on the bed, rubbing cream into his face.

"What are you doing?" Kappy asked.

"Skincare," Willy said, rubbing a hand over his face. "Don't tell me you don't moisturise."

"Uh," Kappy said. He wasn't sure. "No?"

Willy rolled his eyes.

"Come here, don't worry I won't put anything on you," he said, and Kappy sat next to him on the bed, rubbing his hands on his bare thighs. "I work in fashion," Willy said, like they were continuing a conversation. "I try to look nice."

"You're not a model?" Kappy asked, smirking a little. It was a line, but it worked. Willy laughed, putting on a new cream, this time on his eyes.

"No, I dress sets for shoots," he said. "Magazines, commercials, that kinda thing. I like it."

"That's good," Kappy said. Willy paused, and then tipped a jar of cream towards him, the lid off.

"Want to try? C'mon, no one's gonna think you're queer for putting some cream on your face," he said. Kappy looked at it, and then paused, playing with the edge of his boxers. He didn't like what that implied.

"I never….It isn't about other people thinking..that," he said, quietly even though it was just the two of them. "I just..didn't realise about myself.". He stopped. "I had a girlfriend till last summer."

"Huh," Willy said, and then nothing else. Gently, he took Kappy's hand, and, to Kappy's surprise, rubbed cream into his knuckles and then his palm, his fingers moving across his hand firmly. He didn't say anything, and Kappy's emotions moved through a range of depths and highs, worry and anxiety that he'd misunderstood, an angry confident dismissal that said fuck anyone who thought less of him, and then just a warm peace, looking at Willy naked next to him, the texture of his pubic hair, the thickness of his chest, his gentle boylike face.

Willy eventually finished, and he kissed Kappy's cheek.

"Stay here," he said. "Sleep with me."

Kappy nodded, and they kissed again. Willy turned the lights off and crawled into bed naked. They kissed in the dark, one of Willy's hands on Kappy's shoulder steadying them, until sleep came.

&&&

Kappy woke up briefly in the morning when Willy moved around the bed, but Willy touched his shoulder and said "go to sleep, it's fine" so he drifted off, barely awake in the first place.

He didn't know how much later it was when he woke up fully, a little groggy and dry-mouthed from drinking too much. The curtains were half open, sunny outside, and Willy was sitting wearing a pair of boxers and nothing else, drinking coffee from a hotel mug, and flipping through a magazine, a ballpoint pen in his other hand.

"Morning," he said happily, when he looked down and saw Kappy's open eyes.

"Hey," Kappy said, his voice sounding a little rusty. Willy put his coffee down on the bedside table, and passed him a glass of water.

"Here," he said, and Kappy sat up to take it. He swished some around his mouth and swallowed, the acrid taste fading.

“Thanks,” he said, still a little groggy, blinking against sleep in his eyes. Willy put his magazine down and leaned over, kissing him close-lipped. Kappy wondered if he could convince him to fuck again, he was half-hard and keen to go again, pushing up into the kiss. At the very least it distracted Willy, until they were on top of each other, just making out. It was warm in the room, sun streaming through the curtains. Willy looked even more blonde in the natural light, lit up with it.

They were kissing, pressed up against each other, Kappy thinking a little about touching Willy’s dick, when his stomach gurgled loudly. Willy paused, looking at him, and then they both were laughing, giggling at each other.

“You wanna get some food?” WIlly said, bracing his head on Kappy’s chest, smiling. “I was looking earlier, there’s some places that do brunch.”

Part of Kappy wanted to stay in the sunny hotel room forever, but he knew that was impossible. Going out together, it was another chance to draw Willy’s attention, another chance to make him laugh and smile, another chance to extend their time together for as long as he could.

“Yeah,” he said, “Let’s get food.”

Kappy had to put his wrinkled suit back on to go back to his room, and Willy looked so put together next to him, in black jeans and button down t-shirt, the top buttons undone.

“Let me get some clothes,” Kappy said, as they left the room, and Willy just put a hand in his pocket, and nodded.

“Sure,” he said.

Kappy’s room was only down a floor, the bed unslept in, just his bag on the bed. Willy sat while he changed, watching Kappy dress. It made Kappy’s skin raise up in goosebumps, knowing Willy was watching him, maybe judging him, forming thoughts about him.

“When do you leave?” Willy asked, as Kappy was pulling on a t-shirt.

“Uh, I have a flight to Finland tomorrow night,” he said, from inside his shirt, and then pulled it down. “But I’m all packed, I’ve got no plans. What about you?”

“I’m flying to New York in a couple days,” he said, and then shrugged. “I don’t have plans either. C’mon, I’m starving.”

Willy picked a brunch place two blocks away, so they walked. Kappy had barely looked at his phone for hours, and had no sense of what time it was, but it was bright and warm, a hot Canadian summer day, and talking was easy. Willy asked about his summer plans, and talked about the work he had planned, and it slid easily into the same flirting and joking they’d had at dinner. Kappy wondered what it would be like to do the same walk holding his hand, or with Willy’s arm around him, a little wisp of a daydream that sped through his mind, and then, he knew, lodged itself somewhere firm. He’d come back to that thought.

At the diner, he ordered a big pile of pancakes, and Willy got huevos rancheros, piled up on a tortilla with potatoes, and they ate and talked, Willy’s bare ankle touching his. Willy teased him about his training plans, and Kappy joked about his fancy clothes, and every second seemed to speed by. Every time Willy looked at him, he wanted to smile.

Willy pulled his phone out, when their plates were both empty and they were just picking.

“I guess we should probably be going now,” he said, sounding a little reluctant. Kappy pulled his phone out. Now was the time to shoot his shot.

“Can I have your number?” he asked, looking right at Willy. He wanted- well, he wanted a lot, but he wanted to imagine they could do something more than a weekend. WIlly paused, and then smiled, slowly.

“Yeah,” he said, and reached out for Kappy’s phone.

Later, after they’d gone back to the hotel, and kissed again in Willy’s room, and then finally, finally gone their separate ways, Kappy found a text on his phone.

“see you soon 💖"


End file.
